Cities of Andalucia

Cooler weather, light crowds, long days, and plenty of tourist and cultural activities - from fall to spring is the best time of year to visit the most beautiful cities of Andalucia.

MALAGA

Malaga, the 5th largest city in Spain, a gateway to southern Spain and the Costa del Sol, birthplace of Picasso and city with one of the best climates in Europe. It is one of Spain’s hottest cultural, gastronomic and leisure destinations. The city’s mix of Moorish, Renaissance and Modernist cultural landmarks, vibrant streets of the old town and 15 golden sand beaches create a destination of excellence. 

Alcazaba of Malaga – Moorish palace

Santa Iglesia Catedral

Puerto de Malaga

Museo Picasso

Plaza de toros de La Malagueta

      SEVILLE

Seville is the capital city of Andalusia. Located in the South of Spain, Seville, or Sevilla in Spanish, is one of the largest Spanish cities with over 700.000 inhabitants. The city of Seville is famous worldwide for its culture, monuments, traditions and artistic heritage. This is also the birthplace of Flamenco and the city where the most amazing Easter processions take place.

Real Alcazar

Plaza de Espana

Catedral de Sevilla

Parque de Maria Luisa

      GRANADA

A city of fascinating history and exquisite beauty, Granada is one of Spain's most cherished treasures called the "Moorish jewel." Situated in the south eastern part of Andalucía, Granada comprises an important pillar of Spain's most folkloric region. The city location at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain makes it a unique place where you can ski in the morning and take a warm Mediterranean swim in the afternoon.

The Alhambra

Generalife

Court of the Lions

Cathedral and Royal Chapel

Sierra Nevada

     CORDOBA

Cordoba is one of the eight provincial capitals of Andalucia, and is located in the north of the region, at the foot of the Sierra Morena Mountains. It’s a city with a spectacular old town perfect to explore on foot; Cordoba is also known for its great food and the many bodegas where you can enjoy the local wine.

Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba & Puente Romano

Jewish Quarter

Palacio de Viana

Madinat Al-Zahra

      CADIZ

The province of Cadiz nearly touches nose to nose with Africa. Stretching from San Roque, passing the British territory of Gibraltar, and finishing at Cadiz city. Here the Mediterranean Sea ends and the Atlantic Ocean starts.  It’s capital city, Cadiz, is the oldest inhabited city in the Iberian Peninsula and possibly in all of south-western Europe found by the Phoenicians in 1.100 BC.

Torre Tavira

Catedral de Cadiz

Yacimiento Arqueologico Gadirion

Park Genoves

Public hospitals in Andalucia

The quality of health care and hospital facilities in Andalucia (and throughout Spain) is of a very high standard. There are excellent doctors, and highly trained Spanish medical staff and hospitals are equipped with the latest high-tech equipment. Andalucia has many excellent public and private hospitals in each of the eight provinces.

To qualify for free services in health centres and Spanish hospitals, you must either be registered with the state healthcare system, have private healthcare insurance, hold an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or be a national from a country with a bilateral health agreement with Spain. If not, you will be asked to pay medical fees unless it’s an emergency. Expats living and working in Spain  have access to the country’s free state healthcare insurance but some Spanish hospitals offer a combination of both public and private healthcare.


1. Brand new Hospital of Estepona 

In march 2019 Estepona is getting its own dedicated hospital. The hospital will be located on a six-hectare site on the west side of the town centre. It will become one of the most important health infrastructures seen in recent decades, and will be offering a top class and professional medical service. It will have specialised departments for radiology, hospitalisation, surgery, paediatrics, and women’s health and capacity to handle an expected 85,000 appointments and 90,000 emergency visits a year. For residents of Duquesa Port, Manilva, Casares and other local towns it means far shorter travel times when they need urgent medical care.

More HERE

  2. Costa del Sol Hospital 

The Costa del Sol Hospital, on the main A-7 coast road 7km east of Marbella center, is one of the best-equipped hospitals in Spain. Inaugurated in December 1993, the hospital is run by an independent company on behalf of the (SAS) Andalucian Health Authorities.

It has a large out-patients department and a 24 hour accident and emergency department.

There are often voluntary interpreters on hand to help British and other nationalities communicate with the medical staff. With at least 15% of patients being non-Spanish speakers, this is considered a necessity for the smooth running of the hospital.

In 2017 The Costa del Sol Hospital was named the “best hospital” by The Andalucía public health service (SAS).

www.hospitalcostadelsol.com


3. Hospital de alta resolucion de Benalmadena 

The hospital has 15 specialized care clinics: Clinical Analysis, Anesthesiology and Resuscitation, Digestive System, Cardiology, General Surgery and Digestive System, Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Pneumology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Radiodiagnostics, Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery, Urology, Intensive Care and Emergencies. The facilities incorporate the latest generation technology and new model of organization to deliver the swiftest and most accurate diagnosis and treatment care in the region.


4. Complejo Hospitalario Carlos Haya 

The Carlos Haya Regional University Hospital consists of three hospitals and a speciality centre located in different parts of Malaga. The General Hospital (known as Carlos Haya) specialises in medical and more complex surgical procedures. The Maternal and Child Hospital (Hospital Materno Infantil) is a benchmark of quality in the care of women, children and young people. The Civil Hospital (Hospital Civil) deals with more traditional hospitalisation: ambulatory surgery, short stay, surgery, etc.
 
www.hospitalregionaldemalaga.es


5. Virgen de la Victoria Hospital 

The Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital (also known as Hospital Clínico) is a public hospital complex managed by the Andalusian Health Service. It was opened in 1989 and its name is dedicated to the patron saint of Malaga, the Virgin of Victory . The University of Málaga is the academic institution affiliated to the hospital complex, located in the Teatinos University Campus. The Virgen de la Victoria Hospital Area has three Hospitals, two Peripheral Specialty Centers, eight Community Mental Health Units and one Mental Health Day Hospital.

www.huvv.es

Sources:

www.andalucia.com

www.hcs.es

www.expatica.com

www.marbellafamilyfun.com

www.surinenglish.com

Spanish tapas

Spain is such an incredible source of unique flavours. From tasty tapas to superb seafood and traditional roasts, Spanish food is all about making the most of the best local produce. 

Today we will talk about tapas - small portions of foods, both hot and cold, served in bars, bodegas and also restaurants. Tapas were invented in Andalusia. The word means literally a lid and the term was thought to have come from the habit of having a few nibbles with a drink and the necessity of placing a saucer or tapas on top of a glass to keep the flies out.

Each tapas is really no more than a bite, so you can either sample two or three before dinner, or you can make a meal of them by ordering larger portions, called raciones.



1. Tortilla de patatas - a thick egg omelette made with potatoes and onions and fried in olive oil. It is such a popular dish some call it "the national dish of Spain."

2. Patatas Bravas - is one of the classic Spanish tapas dishes and is served in bars all over Spain. Potatoes are cut and fried in oil before being served with either a spicy tomato-based sauce (like in Burgos) or alongside aioli (like in Valencia and Catalonia).

 

3. Gambas Pil Pil - garlic shrimps. Gambas are an easy, mouthwatering Spanish dish extremely popular in the south of Spain. The focal ingredients are shrimp, garlic, and olive oil, but even so, it’s hard to find two versions that taste the same, as Spanish cooks tend to add their own touches to every food they’re preparing.

 

4. Calamares a la Romana - fried squid rings - simple but delicious and very popular appetizer.

 

5. Pulpo a la gallega - octopus cooked in boiling water, seasoned in paprika, and served hot in olive oil.

 

6. Tortillitas de camarones – shrimp fritter. It is a fried dish made with flour, prawns in olive oil, and a hint of lemon juice – crunchy and delicious!

 

7. Boquerónes - deep-fried anchovies. These little fish come fresh, pickled, or fried, and they’re nothing like the strong and stinky morsels you might have tasted elsewhere.

 

8. Croquetas de Jamón - ham croquettes. They are a small, lightly breaded and fried sort of fritter. Very creamy and tasty. A bechamel and ham mixture turns into a dough that you roll into logs and coat with egg and breadcrumbs - then the croquettes are fried to golden brown.

 

9. Albóndigas – meatballs. Most often pork, but also of beef cooked in garlic tomato sauce.

 

10. Ensaladilla Rusa - russian salad. Potatoes are mixed with tuna, mayonnaise, and vegetables like carrots and peas — may have its roots in Russia, but the dish is popular across eateries in Spain.

 

11. Pipirrana Malagueña - is a refreshing summer salad made up of a mix of diced onion, tomato, cucumber, red and green peppers, and dressed with sherry vinegar, salt, and olive oil.

 

12. Jamón Ibérico - a dry-cured ham produced from Iberian pigs. While you can find it throughout Spain, Andalusia is famous for producing some of the highest quality.

 

13. Chorizo - it is an utterly delicious pork sausage with lots of garlic and pepper. The Spanish chorizo can be sweet or spicy, served raw as a tapa, or added in various dishes. For a quintessential Spanish experience, try it with Manchego cheese and a glass of Rioja.

The Route of the White Villages

Between the Atlantic in the west and the Mediterranean in the east, lies some of the prettiest hidden towns of Spain. If you are visiting or living in Andalucia, southern Spain, you cannot miss a trip to “pueblos blancos”, also known as white villages. 

They date back to the Romans and Moors, offer spectacular flora & fauna, historical walking routes and are havens for birds watchers & wildlife lovers. Although all the white villages may look the same, white and all, they each have their own characteristics and charms to experience and explore.

The “route of the white villages” is a tourist route that spreads from region of la Sierra, the region of Janda, in the province of Cadiz and the Serrania de Ronda, in the province of Málaga. The official route goes through many villages and towns but we will introduce the most popular ones.

1. Arcos de la Frontera. Gateway to the Pueblos Blancos. 

Sitting on a spectacular sheer cliff, Arcos de la Frontera is a picturesque town full of small reminders of its Arab inheritance. Its old town has been declared Property of Cultural Interest. Towers, churches and splendid viewpoints with views of the River Guadalete are just some of the countless attractions offered by this area. 

A few kilometres from the village is the lake Arcos, which offers the possibility of water sports and take a dip if the heat squeezes.

2. Grazalema: A High-Mountain Village in a Natural Park. 

Grazalema is a picturesque high-mountain village nestled in a valley and surrounded by the Parque Natural de Sierra de Grazalema. This expansive natural park covers more than 53,000 hectares and is listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as well as a "special protection zone" for birds.

The rugged scenery of limestone mountains, pine forests, oak groves, and rushing rivers inspires outdoor activities. Favorite things to do at the Sierra de Grazalema nature reserve include hiking, fishing, and bird-watching.

3.  Zahara de la Sierra. 

The town is found in the heart of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, offering views of the valley that you can not miss.  The views are stunning and best appreciated from the look-out balconies or by climbing higher up to the Moorish castle. Zahara is also well known for its beautiful turquoise lake. The water that comes from mountain springs is clean and inviting and the reservoir is a popular venue for swimming in the summer months.

4. Setenil De Las Bodegas.

For many it is the most charming town of the route.What really drew attention to Setenil de las Bodegas is the town itself – the beautiful streets and its intriguing houses. The streets go down from the castle taking the path of the river and locals have learned to take advantage of the cliff that the river forms on the rock to build houses. This type of housing is known as “abrigo bajo rocas” (rock shelters) and in contrast to other Andalusian constructions (for instance the caves in el Sacromonte de El Albayzín) it is not carved into the rock, instead the walls are enclosed by the rock and then made into houses. Quite an impressive and ingenious way to get close to nature.

5. Ronda 

Ronda is one of Spain’s oldest towns and the name comes from its position surrounded by mountains. It’s been inhabited by Romans and Moors and you can feel history all around you in its cobbled streets, old mansions and stone churches. The town is perched precariously on top of a cliff with views of rolling hills and Andalusia’s white villages. It’s the hilltop location that’s made Ronda famous.

It was a big favourite with the 19th century Viajeros Romanticos, aka the romantic travellers. Orson Welles, Alexander Dumas and Ernest Hemingway all loved Ronda and spent their summers here. Hemingway even said “Ronda is the place to go if you are planning to travel to Spain for a honeymoon… the whole city and its surroundings are a romantic set”.

The town also has one of Spain’s oldest bullrings, which is allegedly the home of modern bullfighting.

6. Casares

More about Casares you can find in our previous post HERE